Remote Gambling

01/06/2007

In April 2007, several months after the enactment of the highly controversial Unlawful Internet Gambling Act (UIGEA), Congressman Barney Frank introduced a bill to regulate internet gambling in the United States. The proposed Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act would not repeal the UIGEA but would modify it significantly, in particular, empowering the federal government to issue online gambling licences for the first time. Given the number of years it took anti-gambling lobbyists to ensure their legislation was passed, Frank faces a considerable challenge including opposition on a number of levels, not least, from state authorities and the national administration.

One week after Frank introduced his bill, Congressman Shelley Berkley introduced a bill proposing a one year study on Internet gambling, to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences. In particular, the Internet Gambling Study would assess the impact of the UIGEA, analyse the World Trade Organisation's recent rulings on Internet gambling and ascertain the US's optimum strategy for managing the growth in this sector.

We will keep you updated on the progress of these two bills through US Congress.

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